Who Is Donald Trump

Donald J. Trump is an American businessman, of Jewish origin, who was born in Queens, New York. He is a real estate baron by profession and the owner, chairman and president of The Trump Organization, which has diversified interests in real estate, sports, hospitality and entertainment.

Often fond of the limelight, Trump entered the entertainment sector through his popular reality television program, The Apprentice, also known as The Celebrity Apprentice, a show that he co-produced. According to Trump’s website, the program gained overwhelming success overnight, winning critical acclaim, an Emmy nomination and rave reviews. It soon hit the No. 1 spot on televisions worldwide. So much so, that a record 14th season of the show premiered in January 2015.

Additionally, Trump is a politician and, according to his supporters, the very definition of an American success story. His website claims he is setting new standards of excellence. He often communicates this by repeating his campaign slogan, “Make America Great Again.” He is a strong Republican candidate who is seeking the nomination for the upcoming U.S. presidential election in November 2016.

Trump is a graduate of the Wharton School of Finance and an accomplished author with over 15 bestsellers under his name. The businessman, who is known for his outspoken attitude and flamboyant lifestyle, has frequently made headlines for his highly controversial and intolerant remarks. The New York Daily News claims his comments, that are often rife with racist shades, have made him the most scandalous public figure of 2015.

He has spoken on a plethora of different issues, ranging from foreign policy to immigration, in speeches and debates with fellow Republicans. However, out of all his comments, those which have drawn the maximum flak from both the local and global media pertain to direct attacks on specific communities. These include the Muslim immigrant population, especially from war-torn Syria, and Mexicans living on either side of the United States-Mexican border. He equates each group with anti-social and criminal mindsets. Therefore, he is strongly in favor of stopping their migration and growing numbers in the U.S.

In fact, his comments at times have not even spared corporate giants like Apple Inc. In February 2016, the website 9to5 Mac reported that Trump made a vehement public appeal to boycott the tech juggernaut’s products. He even threatened to shut down the company’s operations once he became president of the United States. His rant came after Apple Inc. refused to comply with the FBI’s request to help unlock the password-protected iPhone used by the couple who was responsible for multiple deaths in San Bernardino, California, last December.

Finally, barring his disputatious side, there is also a philanthropic facet to Trump’s personality. He has been an ardent supporter of veteran causes for a long time, as evident from his decision to volunteer for and lead the New York Veteran’s Day Parade as the grand marshall in 1996. According to his website, he made this decision after a shamefully low turnout of spectators in 1995. The annual event honors the veterans of World War II. Ironically, the small crowds coincided with the 50th anniversary of the war. Additionally, Trump donated $1 million to fund the Nation’s Day Parade in the same year. A month later, he was honored at the Pentagon during a lunch with the Secretary of Defense and the entire Joint Chiefs of Staff.

By Bashar Saajid
Edited by Cathy Milne

Sources:

Donald Trump: About Donald J. Trump9to5 Mac: Donald Trump calls for boycott on Apple…while tweeting from iPhoneNew York Daily News: A year of Trump: The most controversial comments Donald said in 2015